Relief groups on Saturday urged Afghan President Hamid Karzai to remove his planning minister, who has proposed that most aid agencies working in the country be shut down because they waste money. Karzai quickly distanced himself from the remarks by Ramazan Bashardost, the minister, but officials had already begun to refuse visa renewals for some foreign relief workers because of confusion over their status. Presidential spokesman Khaleeq Ahmad said the government "doesn't recognize his comments, they are his own opinions," suggesting he had fallen out of favor with Karzai.
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"We think he's just trying to get publicity and public support and ensure a good political future for himself," Ahmad said. The main umbrella group for Afghan and foreign aid groups, known as ACBAR, said it would press for a new law that would expose for-profit companies who have registered as non-governmental relief agencies in order to bid for reconstruction work. ACBAR said it would cooperate to root out fraud. |